Apparatus for treatment with solvents



Jam 8, 1935- c. FQDINLEY APPRATUS FOR TREATMENT WITH SOLVENTS Original Filed July 50, 1932 INVENToR;

WITNESSES:

I NW9@ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNIT 'APPT'US FOR TREATMENT WITH SOLVENTS Clarence E'. Dinley, Detroit, Bch., assigner to .Eames lll. Bell, Philadelphia, Fa.

Application uly 30,4 1932, Serial No. 627,014

Renewed April 18, 1934 78 mss.

This invention relates to treatment with solvents for such purposes as cleaning and degreasing, etc., and particularly to the use of volatile solvents. Apparatus for this purpose is miown in the art, and various novel forms of such apparatus are set forth in my application Serial No. 566,093, iiled September 30, 1931, wherein the use of volatile solvents whose vapors are heavier thanairis described, such as benzine, benzol, and particularly chlorinated solvents like carbon tetrachloride and trich1orethy1ene,`whose vapors are entirely uninflammable.

In these instances, the apparatus is generally iilled with solvent vapor (dueto heating of the solvent to increase its eiectiveness) and is therefore closed to exclude air and retain the vapor,- although open (above its highest interior point) for introduction and/or removal of things or work toA be treated. To prevent escape of 'the solvent vapor from such opening or openings, provision is made forvcondensing `the vapor within the apparatus or at or below its opening,- or both,or/and for liquid sealing oi entrance or/and exit passage. i

Experience has shown, however, that in practice a small portion of the solvent does escape from such openings; and in a plant employing a large capacity of apparatus, the aggregate loss in this way represents a substantial expense. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to prevent or minimize this escape and loss of solvent vapor,-either by way of supplement to the liquid sealing means heretofore employed, or as a nornial partial or total substitute for such liquid sealing or other means.

How these and other advantages can be realized through the invention will appear from the description hereafter of one preferred form of embodiment.

In the drawing, Fig. I is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken as indicated by the line and arrows I-I in Fig, II, at an opening of a cleaning apparatus through which work may be introduced (or removed). y

Figli shows a vertical section at ,right angles to Fig. I, taken as indicated by the line and arrows II--II in Fig. I.

Figs. I and II show an upper vend portion of a treating apparatus such as indicated above, at and adjacent an entrance (or exit) opening for work treated. This portion 9 of the (sheet metal) casing of the treating chamber is shown as an inclined passage. In the passage 9 is shown a condenser 10, consisting of transverse cold-water tubes arranged on the lower passage (ci. er1-ei wall, to keep the vapor in the apparatus lfrom accumulating and rising in this passage 9 above the general level of the condenser 10, and eventually overowing and escaping from the upper end of the passage 9. 'I'he drawing also shows e portions of a chain and sprocket conveyor system for carrying the work through the apparatus, v including an external (approaching) inclined run of the sprocket chains 11; an internal inclined chain-run; and a (driving or idle) l@ sprocket 12 revolving at or in the very opening of the passage 9; as well as a plurality of work carriers 13, in the illustrative `form oi openwork metal baskets. The angle between the chainruns, and the arc of contact or wrap of the '15 chains 11 on the sprockets 12, are shown as approximately more or less.- The baskets 13 have chain-engaging end lugs la that support them between the chains l1, 11 and the sprockets 12, 12; and certain chain links have notched or forked upstanding projections 15 to receive and positively engage at least one pair of the end lugs 14 of each basket. As shown, thesprocket shaft 16 (to which the sprockets 12, l2 are keyed fast) revolves in bearing brackets 17, 17 mounted on frame members 18, 18 associated with the lateral casing walls 19, 19.

For the purposes of this invention, a revolving valve structure or device 20 is associated with the otherwiseopen end of the passage 9, cooperating therewith to substantially occlude the opening .at all times, while freely permitting passage of the work-carriers 13,-which the device 20 is celled to receive and accommodate. As shown, the valve device 20 has three carrier-accommof dating cells or pockets 21, angularly spaced 120 (on centers). For cooperating with the valve de vice 20, the end of the passage 9 has an enlarged (sheet metal) mouth, with upper and lower wall surfaces or sides 22, 23 curved concentric with the axes of revolution of the valve 20 (and of the sprockets 12) The axis of revolution of sprocket shaft 16 and valve structure 20 is to one side ci' (below) the .horizontally elongated passage or opening 9 and ythroat 24, or, at least, to one side 45 of their horizontal center lines. As shown in Fig.' I, the lcircumferential extent of the mouth sides 22, 23 and the interval or throat" opening 2e between them aresuch that throughout the rev= olution ofthe valve 20, it always engages or cooperates with both of these mouth sides 22, 23 at opposite sides of a cell or pocket 21 which is for the time being open through the throat 24 into the interiorof the apparatus,i. e., into the passage or chamber 9. Thus the passage or opening at 9 is always occluded, and substantial gas or air flow or draft therethrough isleiectually prevented.

As here shown, the valve 20 may be of sheet or cast metal construction. It comprises end plates 25 with hubs 26 keyed fast on the sprocket shaft 16; and longitudinal walls forming the cells or pockets 21 around the shaft and the (hollow) vanes or septa 27 between adjacent pockets. The outer edges 28 of these septa 27 are curved in correspondence with the arcuate mouth walls 22,'23. 'I'he pockets 21 need not extend all the way in to lthe shaft 16, but may rather have fiat bottom walls 29, forming around the shaft a triangular prism with whose corners the septa or vanes 27 are united. As shown in Fig. II, each end 25 of the valve 20 has a clearance 30 from the corresponding lateral casing wall 19 suiiicient to accommodate the sprocket 12, chain 11, and work-carrier lugs 14,-the end plate 25 being cut away between the vanes 27 to accommodate the lugs 14, and the pocket bottoms 29 preferably affording working clearance under the bottoms of the baskets 13. Below the sprocket 12, each casing wall 19 is offset or lled out inward at 31 to engage or cooperate with the valve end 25, thus reducing the area of opening available for passage of vapor or air between the valve end 25 and the casing wall 19. As shown in Fig. I, the fillers 31 are circumferentially coextensive with the lower mouth wall 23, and afford working clearance outside the sprocket teeth.

It will be understood that in practice the valve 20 will effectively occlude the passage 9 against flow of vapor or air notwithstanding its sprocketaccommodating end clearances 30, 30, and also notwithstanding sufficient working clearances at 27 and 31 to take care of slight irregularities of the parts and prevent actual contact and friction at these points. If desired, the working clearancesor areas of contact at 27 and 31 may be sealed or lubricated with any suitable lubricant,-

. preferably such as will not be dissolved or otherwise acted on by the cleaning solvent employed in the apparatus. While'some vapor may be carried out of the apparatus in the revolving pockets 2 1, and some air be carried in, yet these amounts are trilling in comparison with the ow through the opening at 9 if entirely unobstructed as heretofore,-especially when the vapor-condensing' measures heretofore relied on (e. g., condenser '10) are employed. Moreover, the frictional resistance to vaporv or air flow through the clearances at 30, 27, and 31 is sufficient to prevent drafts through the entire apparatus due to conditions in the room or place where it is operated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. 'I'he combination with a chamber open at its upper portion and containing vapor of volatile grease solvent, heavier than air, a chain conveyor passing through said opening with a bend thereat, and a series of work-carriers carried by said conveyor through said opening, a valve structure revolving in said mouth concentrically with the conveyor bend and celled to accommodate the work carriers, and means forming an arcuate mouth for the opening concentric with the revolution of said valve structure and cooperating on both sides of the mouth with the opposite sides of a cell, when the cell is open into the chamber, to occlude the opening against passage of vapor while permitting passage of the work therethrough.

2. The combination with a chamber open at its upper portion and containing vapor ot volatile grease solvent, heavier than air, a chain conveyor passing through said opening, and a series of work-carriers carried by said conveyor through said opening, a valve structure revolving in said mouth about an axis to one side oi' the opening and celled to accommodate the work carriers, and means forming an enlarged arcuate mouth for the opening concentric with the revolution of said valve structure and cooperating on both sides of the mouth with the opposite sides of a cell, when the cell is open into the chamber, to occlude the opening .against passage of vapor while permitting passage of the work therethrough.

3. The combination with a chamber open at its upper portion and' containing solvent vapor heavier than air, a chain conveyor passing through said opening with a bend around a sprocket at the opening and a series of work-carriers carried by said conveyor through said opening, of means forming an arcuate mouth for the opening at the sprocket, and a valve structure revolv-v ing in said mouth celled to accommodate the'workcarriers and always cooperating with both sides of said mouth at opposite sides of a cell, when the same is open`into the chamber, to occlude the opening against passage of vapor, while permitting passage of the. work therethrough.

4. The combination lwith a chamber open at its upper portion and containing solvent vapor heavier than air, a chain conveyor. passing throughsaid opening with a bend approximating around a sprocket at the opening, and a series of work-carriers carried by said conveyor through said'opening, of means forming an arcuate mouth for the opening at the sprocket, and a valve structure revolving in said mouth having three separate cells for the successive work carriers and always cooperating with both sides of said mouth at opposite sides of any cell that is in communication with the chamber, while concurrclalntly leaving its other cells open to the atmosp ere.

v5. The combination with a chamber open at its upper portion and containing solvent vapor heavier than air.. conveyor chains bending through said opening around sprockets revolving in the opening close against its lateral walls, and

a. series of work-carriers carried by said conveyor through said opening, of means forming an arcuate mouth for the opening around said sprockets, and a valve structure revolving in said mouth between said sprockets, celled to accommodate the work-carriers and always cooperating with both sides of said mouth at opposite sides of a cell when the same is open into the chamber. A

6. The combination with apparatus as set forth in claim 3, of means for condensing solvent vapor- CLARENCE F. DINLEY. 

